Fourdrinier wire package



Jan. 13, 1959 N. w. WEBB 2,868,369

FOURDRINIER WIRE PACKAGE Filed 'July 24, 1957 Q N u Q W @i INVENTOR. l Q /VELSUN W WEBB o H f FOURDRINIER WIRE PACKAGE Nelson W. Webb, Montclair, N. J., assignor to Eastwood- Nealley Corporation, Belleville, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application July 24, 1957, Serial No. 673,908

13 Claims. (Cl. 206-59) This invention relates to the packaging of woven wire belts, and particularly those utilized on paper making machines of the Fourdrinier' type.

In the manufacture of paper by the Fourdrinier process a wet sheet is formed by running a dilute suspension of fibers evenly onto the surface of a moving endless belt of wire cloth, through which the excess water is drained. A portion of the water is drained off by gravity, another portion is removed by suction and the remainder is removed by the application of pressure. The belt of Wire cloth is commonly referred to as Fourdrinier wire.

Fourdrinier wire is generally woven with circular crosssection warp and weft Wires in such a manner that the resultant wire has a very fine mesh. During the manufacture of Fourdrinier wire great care is exercised to maintain the surfaces smooth and free of irregularities or imperfections. This is important in order to obtain a good quality paper which does not contain Iany impressions from the wire.

In preparing Fourdrinier wire for shipment the ends of a length of wire are joined together by brazing or soldering, for example, to form an endless continuous band which, when received at the paper mill, may be placed over appropriate supporting rolls on the paper making machine. After the Fourdrinier wire is joined at the ends to form a band it is rolled and packed in soft' shock absorbent material in order to protect the fragile metallic screen during shipment.

One of the problems that has confronted manufacturers of Fourdrinier wire is slippage or telescoping of the rolled wire during transit. Due to the relatively smooth surfaces of the Wire the adjacent surfaces of the rolled wire have a tendency to become displaced relative to each other due to rough handling or jarring during shipment. When this slipping or telescoping occurs the surfaces of the wire that are in sliding contact are often damaged which renders them unusable for paper manufacture. This damaging of wire during transit has proven a costly and critical problem to Fourdrinier wire manufacturers since the damaged wire is returned by the paper mill to the wire manufacturer for reprocessing and conditioning which, even where possible is a costly and tedious operation.

In View of the foregoing it is the primary object of this invention to provide a Fourdrinier wire package in which the rolled wire will not slip or telescope during shipment; This is accomplished in the present invention by interposing a pressure sensitive adhesive between the convolutions of the rolled wire which will prevent adjacent surfaces of the wire from moving relative to each other during transit. The adhesive is applied to both sides of a length of tape which is then positioned on the band of Wire before it is rolled. The tape is of such size and composition that it will not permanently mark the wire, and of such strength that it can be readily pulled away from the wire. It is important that when the tape States A Patent is pulled away from the wire it carry with it all the adhesive without leaving any residue on the wire which iceN would adversely affect the quality of the paper. This is accomplished in the present invention by providing an adhesive which adheres more firmly to the tape than to the Wire, and therefore will be completely removed from the wire when the tape is pulled free from the wire.

This and other objects of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a top elevation view of a Fourdrinier wire belt before it has been rolled.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the Fourdrinier wire belt illustrated in Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the Fourdrinier wire belt illustrated in Figure 1 and depicting the manner in which the wire belt is rolled.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the Fourdrinier wire belt after it has been rolled.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a por tion of the Fourdrinier wire belt illustrating the manner in which the adhesive coated tape adheres to the warp and weft wires of the belt, and

Figure 6 is a top plan View of a Fourdrinier wire belt similar to that shown in Figure l and illustrating another manner in which the adhesive coated tape may be positioned on the Fourdrinier wire belt.

Referring now to the figures the numeral 10 designates generally the Fourdrinier wire. As illustrated in Figure l the Fourdrinier wire 10 is shown as an endless continuous belt of wire, the ends of a predetermined length of wire having been joined together to form a belt ready for shipment.

In order to prevent slippage or telescoping of the rolled wire during transit an adhesive is interposed between the convolutions formed by the rolled Wire. This adhesive is applied to the Wire after it is in the form of a belt and before it is rolled in preparation for shipment. This adhesive is applied to the wire in a manner to be presently described.

The adhesive utilized is preferably of the pressure sensitive type, the only requirement being that it be readily removable from the wire at the paper factory without leaving any residue in the orifices of the Fourdrinier wire mesh. It has been found that adhesives of the silicone base type fulfill this requirement. This :adhesive is applied to both sides of a length of matted or felted fiberglass tape which is then applied to the unrolled band of wire in a manner to be described. The only requirements for the tape are that it be made of a relatively soft material that is sufficiently thin to avoid permanently marking the surface of the wire to which it is applied, while having a tensile strength great enough to permit thetape to be peeled olf, or pulled away from the wire without breaking. In order that all the adhesive be removed from the wire as the tape is being removed the adhesive should adhere more firmly to the tape than to the wire. It has been found that tape having a ltensile strength of approximately pounds per inch of tape width, and a thickness of about 0.012 inch fulfills these requirements. It is preferable also that the adhesive be resistant to creeping over the temperature range encountered by the wire during transit.

In one form of the invention illustrated in Figure l the tape 11, coated with adhesive on both sides, is applied diagonally the length of the wire before it is rolled for shipment. The tape 11 is applied to only one-half the total length of the Wire, or as illustrated in Figure l, to the inner surface of the wire belt 1t). The width of the tape is not critical but it has been found that with wire 300 inches wide and 139 feet in length a tape width of one inch yields excellent results. In applying the tape 11 to the belt of wire 10, the wire 10 is `stretched out lengthwise such that there are two layers in overlapping relation. The tape ll is then applied diagonally the length of the wire such that two right triangles are formed, the tape 11 being the common hypotenuse for both triangles. An alternative tape arrangement is illustrated in Figure 6. In this embodiment strips of tape lll are positioned on the wire lil transversely between the opposing edges 12 and 13 of the wire and extending preferably the full width of the Wire lil. It has been found that if the strips oftape are spaced at equal intervals approximately l2 feet apart excellent results are obtained.

The manner in which the tape il adheres to the wire in both embodiments of the invention is illustrated in Figure 5. As illustrated in this gure the tape llt adheres to the warp 14 and weft l5 wires regardless of any irregularities in the surface of the wire. p When the tape lll is positioned on the wire belt to the wire is ready to be rolled and prepared for shipment. ln order to facilitate rolling and to obtain a compact package a pair of rods .lo and i7 are placed between the overlapping layers of the wire belt iii. These rods are positioned such that they extend transversely between the opposing edges l2 and 13 of the wire belt lil and in abutment against the ends i8 and i9 of the belt lo. As illustrated in Figures l and 6 the rods r6 and 17 are preferably of such length that they extend beyond the opposite edges 12 and 13 of the wire belt. This facilitates the positioning of the rods and the rolling of the wire ibelt. The diameter of the rods E6 and li7 is not lcritical but it has been found that for a wire belt of the aforesaid dimensions, rods with a diameter ot'. approximately 71/2 inches will yield good results. These rods are preferably of a rigid material such, for example, as metal to prevent the rods from bending or deiorming, and hollow to decrease weight.

When the rods 16 and i7 are in position another rod 20 of the same dimensions as the rods 16 and 17 is positioned on the top layer of the wire belt lb' and extending transversely between the edges 12 and 13 of the wire belt. This rod Ztl is positioned in abutment against the rod i6 or l? that is first to tbe rolled. ln the illustrated gures the wire belt is being rolled from left to right, or in a clockwise direction, and the rod 2b is therefore positioned in abutment against rod 16.

The manner in which the wire belt is rolled is illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. As the wire belt is rolled the rods i6 and Ztl are maintained in abutting relation. The completed rolled wire belt lil, ready for shipment is illustrated in Figure 4. When the Fourdrinier wire package is received at the paper plant the package is unrolled and the rods and tape are removed. The wire belt itl is then ready for installation on the paper making machine.

lt is to be understood that the term telescoping as used throughout the specification and claims is intended to include as well any slippage of the rolled wire or any displacement of the adjacent surfaces of the rolled wire relative to each other due to rough handling or forming during shipping.

l claim:

l. A Fourdrinier wire rolled for shipping and made resistant to telescoping by having an adhesive interposed between its convolutions rendering them resistant to relative slidingaction.

2. A Fourdrinier wire rolled for shipping and made resistant to telescoping by having an adhesive interposed between its convolutions rendering them resistant to relative sliding action, said adhesive being of the pressure sensitive type and being removable from said wire without blocking the wires openings or remaining on its strand wires when said wire is put in service.

3. A Fourdrinier wire rolled for shipping and made resistant to telescoping by having an adhesive interposed between itsv convolutions rendering them resistant to relative sliding action, said adhesive being of the pressure sensitivetype and being, removable from said wire without blocking the wires openings or remaining on its strand Wires when said wire is put in service, the adhesive being applied to both sides of a tape made of relatively soft material and sufciently thin to avoid permanently marking said wire and suiciently thick to be strong enough to be pulled free from the wire, said adhesive adhering to said tape more rmly than lto said wire so that the adhesive is removed with the tape.

4. A Fourdrinier wire rolled for shipping and made resistant to telescoping by having an adhesive interposed between its convolutions rendering them resistant to relative sliding action, said adhesive being of the pressure sensitive type and being removable from said wire without blocking the wires openings or remaining on its strand wires when said wire is put in service, the adhesive being applied to both sides of a tape made of relatively soft material and sutlciently thin to avoid permanently marking said wire and suiciently thick to be strong enough to be pulled free from the wire, said adhesive adhering to Said tape more iirmly than to said wire so that the adhesive is removed with the tape, said tape being made -from fiberglass.

5. A Fourdrinier wire rolled for shipping and made resistant to telescoping by having an adhesive interposed between its convolutions rendering them resistant to relative sliding action, said adhesive being ci pressure sensitive type and being removable from said wire without blocking the wires openings or remaining on its strand wires when said wire is put in service, the adhesive being applied to both side of a tape made of relatively soft material and sufficiently thin to avoid permanently marking said wire and sufficiently thick to be strong enough to be pulled free from' the wire, said adhesive adheringto said tape more rmly than to said wire so that the adhesive is removed with the tape, said tape being made from fiberglass and being coated with said adhesive, the latter being of the silicone base type.

6. A Fourdrinier wire rolled for shipping and made resistant to telescoping by having an adhesive interposed between its convolutions rendering them resistant to relative sliding action, said adhesive being ot the pressure sensitive type and being removable from said wire without blocking the wires openings or remaining on its strand wires when said wire is put in service, the adhesive being applied to both sides of a tape made or" relatively soft material and sufliciently thin to avoid permanently marking said wire and sufliciently thick to be strong enough to be pulled free from the wire, said adhesive adhering to said tape more firmly than to said wire so that the adhesive is removed with the tape, said tape being positioned diagonally for the length ot said wire prior to the latter' being rolled for shipping.

7. A Fourdrinier wire rolled for shipping and made resistant to telescoping by having an adhesive interposed between its convolutions rendering them resistant to relative sliding action, said adhesive being of the pressure sensitive type and being removable from said wire without blocking the wires openings or remaining on its strand wires when said wire is put in service, the adhesive being applied to both sides of a tape made ot relatively soft material and sufficiently thin to avoid permanently marking said wire and suiciently thick to be strong enough to be pulled free from the wire, said adhesive adhering to said tape more rmly than to said wire so that the adhesive is removed with the tape, said tape being applied to said wire prior to it being rolled as a series of lengths arranged transversely to said wire with said pieces interspaced along the wires length, each piece extendingfor substantially the full width of said wire.

8) A Fourdrinier wire rolled for shipping and made resistant to telescopng by having an adhesive inter-posed between its convolutions rendering them resistant to relative sliding action, said adhesivel being of the pressure sensitive type and being removable from said wire without blocking the wires openings or remaining on its strand wires when said wire is put in service, the adhesive being applied to both sides of a tape made of relatively soft material and sufficiently thin to avoid permanentiy marking said wire and sufciently thick to be strong enough to be pulled free from the wire, said adhesive adhering to said tape more firmly than to said wire so `that the adhesive is removed with the tape, said tape being made from fiberglass and having a tensile strength of around 150 pounds per inch of width.

9. A Fourdrinier wire rolled vfor shipping and made resistant to telescoping by having an adhesive interposed between its convolutions rendering them resistant to relative sliding action, said adhesive being of the pressure sensitive type and being removable from said wire without blocking the wires openings or remaining on its strand wires when said wire is put in service, the adhesive being applied to both sides of a tape made oi' relatively soft material and sufliciently thin to avoid permanently marking said Wire and suiciently thick to be strong enough to be pulled free from the wire, said adhesive adhering to said tape more lirm'ly than to said wire so that the adhesive is removed with the tape, said tape being made from iberglass and having a tensile strength of around 150 pounds per inch of width and a thickness in the neighborhood of .012 inch.

10. A Fourdrinier wire rolled for shipping and made resistant to telescoping by having an adhesive interposed between its convolutions rendering them resistant to relative sliding action, said adhesive being of the pressure sensitive type and being removable from said wire without blocking the wires openings or remaining on its strand wires when said wire is put in service, the adhesive being applied to both sides of a tape made of relatively soft material and sufficiently thin to avoid permanently marking said wire and suiiciently thick to be strong enough to be pulled free from the wire, said adhesive adhering to said tape more firmly than to said wire so that the adhesive is removed with the tape, said tape being made from' berglass and being coated with said adhesive, the latter being of the silicone base type having high creep resistance within the temperature range extremes encountered in shipping said wire.

ll. The method of packaging Fourdrinier wire in rolls to prevent telescoping during shipment comprising applying a pressure sensitive adhesive to the strands of the wire belt prior to rolling such that the adhesive is interposed between the convolutions of the rolled Wire.

l2. The method of packaging Fourdrinier wire in rolls to prevent telescoping during shipment comprising interposing a pressure sensitive adhesive between the convolutions of the rolled wire, said adhesive being applied to both sides of a tape and said tape being positioned diagonally for the length of the wire prior to the wire being rolled for shipping.

13. The method of packaging Fourdrinier wire in rolls to prevent telescopingduring shipment comprising interposing a pressure sensitive adhesive between the convolutions of the rolled wire, said adhesive being applied to both sides of a tape and said tape being applied to said wire prior to it being rolled as a series of `lengths transversely to said wire with said pieces interposed along the wires length, each piece extending for substantially the full width of said wire.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,935,970 Wooster et al Nov. 21, 1933 2,341,600 Daniel Feb. 15, 1944 2,471,321 Gittens May 24, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 487,440 Great Britain June 21, 1938 

